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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ball — a dance
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. shower — rain
  5. saw — the tool
  6. current — electric
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. foot — a measure
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. current — happening now
  17. charge — a price
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wind — moving air
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pit — a hole
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com